Doctor Who: The Time Gambit
by Jetplague
Summary: The Tenth Doctor Adventures Continue! The TARDIS is forced onto a planet in the outer rim of the galaxy, a planet that welcomes them and treats them as guests. But the welcome is about to turn deadly, as he discovers the real reason they were brought th


Doctor Who: The Time Gambit  
  
( The Tenth Doctor Adventures )  
  
By Jeff Walker  
  
On a distant planet, out in the far reaches of the galaxy, a race of green scaled like humanoids monitor a massive screen in the central citadel in the main capitol. They look on as they see the odd light flashing on the big screens in front of them. On them are charts of the galaxy and of spiral shaped grid lines that funnel all over the place. The two creatures eyeing the massive star map soon detect a new light flashing; one of them taps onto the blinking source with its finger, which causes a huge holographic sub-screen to pop out of the large monitor. It's red eyes gaze at the information scrolling down and turns to another one of its kind standing behind him.  
  
" Another one has appeared my lord. It's definitely the one we've been looking for. ", The creature says in a rather human sounding voice.  
  
The one behind him, in more royal clothes, smiles with its scaly green lips and comes closer to have a look, " Excellent. I'll inform our patrons of its pending arrival. Well done...Grab hold of it and send it to section 12, level A3. I'll go and... Greet our guests when they land." it says as it continues to smile away.  
  
Meanwhile, somewhere out in space and time, the TARDIS spins away as the Doctor and Andrea stand around the console room as it travels. Inside the off-white, perforated room, the two play a game of chess. Andrea seems to be losing by one, while the Doctor sits and thinks about his next move. She sighs as he holds on to his rook, his eyes peering away at the board, looking for his big break. Wearing his usual oversized maroon smoking jacket, black and white checkered trousers, miss-matched shoes and a checkered brownish vest. The Doctor leans in for an even closer look. Andrea leans back in her chair, she is wearing a cream colored long sleeved shirt, the sleeves are rolled up to her elbows, a pair of tight fitting dress slacks that are flared at the bottom and black, open toed, platform heel shoes.  
  
" Come on Doc....you've been sitting like that for hours. Make a move already....", she moans impatiently.  
  
The Doctor hushes her, " Shhhh..... the point of chess is cunning my dear girl.... cunning. The right move in the right spot...and the game is set. "  
  
She sighs again as she continues to watch on, " Very well.... if you say so. I can't wait till we land, oooh I'm looking forward to seeing the waters of Tessek Prime. From what you told me, a cruise on their ocean liners will be relaxing.", Andrea says folding her arms behind her head.  
  
"Mmmm..... they do make a rather ripping purple nebula drink. I think I'm taking you to too many resort planets, we should try the outer dimensions sometimes..." he says as he still looks at his chess piece.  
  
Andrea looks at him as he suggests the place, " Really? Do they have room service there? ", She says to him jokingly. He just gives a look to her, knowing full well she's having fun with him. But then he soon makes an outburst that snaps her out of that cocky attitude.  
  
" AH HA! ", he blurts out, " Rook...takes knight...and behold...Checkmate! ", he says with confidence. Andrea looks totally unhappy with his victory, as she pouts at him for taking her only defense left. He smiles at her, " Sweet victory...I never tire of it. "  
  
Just as he revels in his win, the TARDIS begins to shake violently, the room angles all over the place, causing some of the furnishings to topple, including the table where they just finished playing chess. Andrea tries to hold on as the place rumbles, she is soon holding the wall trying to get a grip. The Doctor manages to sprawl to the main controls of the TARDIS, and tries to stabilize the craft as it spins out of control. With another quick jolt, Andrea is finally hurled to the control center as well; the look of panic in her face is hard to see as the room warps around them.  
  
" What's happening?!!" she screams out.  
  
" I can't.... get the stabilizers working...", the Doctor says with frustration, ".... Damn.... I think we've been caught in some sort of spatial distortion field. Hold on Andrea.... Hold ON! ", He yells at her. The vortex outside warps away and splits off into a new direction, the craft whips and turns on all angles as it draws near it's new destination target. Soon it begins to materialize, the whooshing of the TARDIS sounds forced as it appears on a cemented parking structure with a lush looking environment in the distance. Inside, the two of them finally get their wits about them, the quick landing catches them off guard as they both look to each other with concern. Andrea grabs hold of her head, and wipes the messed tangles of her hair out of her face.  
  
" Ow...oh my head...what was that? Don't tell me you broke this thing again? ", She moans at him.  
  
The Doctor punches a few of the buttons and opens the main viewer ahead, " Hm....well by the look of things, we've landed...but not on Tessex Prime. ", once again he fiddles with the controls and looks to one of the side monitors built into the controls, " Definitely not Tessex...how odd...we're off course by 333.254.0 mark two. ", he says with a confused look.  
  
Andrea also looks confused, not understanding what all of that just meant, she dares ask him, " Sooo.... what.... that's a shade or too off a few light-years or somethin? "  
  
" Hardly my dear...Never the less...I think we should have a pop out and get our bearings." the quirky Timelord says to her. He lifts up the control that opens the doors, the hydraulic sound of the built in movable door panels swing open inward. Grabbing his red cap laying near the floor, he slaps it on his head and gestures with his finger for her to come with. She just straightens herself out, fluffs her hair and follows the man that just patronized her with his motion. Outside of the blue box, the Doctor pops out of the door, sniffing in the air and holding is finger up for wind. Andrea soon follows, closing the door behind her. Surveying the area, they see the large smooth parking lot like structure they're situated on. In each part of the surface, are small markers on the ground, perimeters in yellow with strange alien symbols on them. In some of the areas other weird objects sit, some look like small spacecrafts, others look more alien.  
  
" Doctor? What is this...looks like a parking lot or something." she observes.  
  
" Yes...I wonder if we have to pay for parking here." he says rather oddly.  
  
Soon coming out of a large sliver tube, resembling more like an elevator of earth's standards, the green-scaled creatures come to greet the Doctor. The one in front wears the royal looking clothes, while the others behind him have armored covered jackets and paints. Each one of the security guardsmen is carrying an alien looking weapon of all the same shape and design, the guns are relaxed at their sides, making their overall look unthreatening to them. The royal looking creature spreads out his arms and joyfully smiles as he walks towards them.  
  
" Welcome my friends...I greet you on behalf of my people." the being says.  
  
The Doctor smiles back and gleefully shakes the beings hand, " Oh why thank you very much...uh.... I wasn't aware that you were even expecting us. Can you tell me where we are? ", He asks the smiling scaly green man.  
  
" But of course.... this is the planet of Shalarus. I am your host Kelarr....", the creature says with enthusiasm.  
  
The Doctor turns his head away for a second; the planet's name sounds familiar to him but can't quite place where he's heard it before. Andrea meanwhile, looks nervously at the guards, too many times have they been greeted by hostile forces so its only natural that she be a bit edgy. Kelarr looks at them both and moves his arm to gesture towards the elevator.  
  
" Please come and stay with us...I will show you to a place of rest and refreshments. ", he says to them in the same jolly voice.  
  
The Doctor, not one to turn down a nice invitation, folds his arms together behind him and bows to the host in agreement, " Splendid! Thank you very much...we could due with a spot of tea and some sandwiches." the beaming Timelord responds, " Come along Andrea." he commands at her.  
  
She still is unsure about the whole situation, but tags along with the rest as they slip into the elevator and head downwards. As the lift moves down, the Doctor asks questions to his generous host, " Tell me...do you always approach perfect strangers with such open arms? "  
  
" You are no stranger to us, Doctor ", Kelarr speaks as he stares at the slightly taller man then him. The Doctor seems shocked that he knows who he is, " You called me Doctor..."  
  
" We know all about you Doctor, your a Time Lord from Galifrey, you travel in your TARDIS, and you've regenerated to your.... uh...seventh form? ", the red eyed being says with an inquisitive lull.  
  
" Ninth actually...", the Doctor states to him in a serious nature.  
  
" Oh dear..." the creature says, ".... your Ten now...I must inform our record department, it seems they're a bit behind. "  
  
The elevator stops, the doors swing open and reveal a bustling community of the Shalarians, they walk out and head towards a large building a few feet in front of them. The guards stationed at the doors give both Andrea and the Doctor a minute of pause, but soon walk in with the rest of their escort as they see the beautiful interior. A vast hotel like inside, hollow in the center all the way to the top, and full of lush forestry and greenery. They continue over to a set of large metallic shiny doors, as they open automatically, they all walk in. Inside it looks like a futuristic lounge room, full of comfortable furnishings and plant life all around. To the right of them is a large open window area that looks out from the building and out into the lush valley of the planet. Andrea walks in and takes a seat on the rather soft chairs, kicking her feet up and leaning back, much more relaxed then a few moments ago. The Doctor stands a few feet away from the entrance and takes in the sight.  
  
" Beautiful..." he comments.  
  
Kelarr bows to him for the compliment, " Thank you, we do take pride in our planet's richness. As I said, you are our guests here, please feel free to whatever your hearts desire. But I must insist on one thing....", the creature then says to the Timelord, ".... you must never go back to your TARDIS again. "  
  
That hit a cord with the Doctor as he quickly turns to him with confusion, " What? Why not....", he demands.  
  
The guards then quickly bring their weapons up and point them at him, in more of a defense posture rather then a threatening one. The creature stands next to his arm security, " Doctor, you and your companion are here as permanent guests on this planet. Any attempt to flee in your TARDIS will be useless...a dematerialization force field is currently around your ship; so leaving here would be a futile effort. "  
  
The Doctor grows angry, as does Andrea, his fist clasps and manages to point his finger out to the alien man, " Now look here...you have no right to do this!! I demand to see your superiors!! Who made you do this?! ", The Doctor screams at him.  
  
Just then, a female voice booms out from behind one of the room's pillars, a figure stand hidden from them behind it, " Tsk tsk, Doctor. You should be more relaxed, these people went out of their way to make you right at home...after all..." the woman pauses as she soon steps out into the light for them to see. " You are a guest of the Shalarians.... just except it...", she says to him. The Doctor's eyes widen, as he sees her. She's of mid-height, wearing a white blouse with black leather pants, the vest she sports almost matches her pants and the long brown, velvet like, high heel boots she wears almost comes up to her knees. The Caucasian human looking woman, gazes at him with her pretty eyes, the short reddish hair gives her an almost sinister look. The Doctor looks deeper, and soon realizes who this woman is, all too many times has he bumped into this one, for she as been just as bad as his previous Timelord rival, The Master.  
  
The Rani stands there laughing at him, " I bet you didn't expect to see me here hmmm? ", she says to the Doctor, smiling away and slowly walking towards him.  
  
" Not really...but I was concerned that I hadn't seen you in awhile. So Rani...it looks as though you've changed your appearance again. Not sure I like the hair....", he playfully says to her, but underneath his jovial voice, a sense of distrust and anger. Rani just gives him a random look and moves her eyes over to his new companion.  
  
" Funny Doctor.... I was going to say the same thing about you. And who is this? Picking up more strays from Earth...tsk, tsk, Doctor. Didn't anyone tell you? You might get nasty germs from them! ", She says rather nastily at Andrea. Of course, Andrea doesn't take that verbal abuse very well, and gives back her own cat like remark.  
  
" I'm amazed you picked that outfit yourself...I didn't know skanks could wear leather! ", she snaps back at her.  
  
The Rani hates that smug glib, and gives Andrea a stare that would send a man running for the hills, but she soon calms herself and turns back to the Doctor. Probably to communicate on a more superior level with a fellow Timelord, she strolls over to him and caresses his maroon smoking jacket arm. The Doctor just flinches his arm away from her, looking bothered by her being there in the first place.  
  
" Tell me Rani, what's in it for you? Hmm? Why drag me to this place.... in there hands? ", The Timelord says to the red-haired woman, " What do you want of me now you deranged bitch?! "  
  
She hates being called that, a word that no woman likes to be spoken towards her person, she walks over to the guards, pauses for a moment and faces him again.  
  
" I don't want anything with you! Still the pompous twit after all these regenerations, I'm as much a prisoner as you are! ", She says with contempt at him.  
  
The Doctor laughs, " Oh yes...I'm sure you are...."  
  
Kelarr, standing with his guards behind him, finally speaks up again, " She's telling the truth, Doctor. The Rani is another guest of the Shalarians, as are all time travelers from now on..." the green-scaled creature reveals to him. His red eyes peer out to the oddly dressed traveler that his words ring true, and with a sudden wave of realization that it might be all really happening, the Doctor finally gives in to that panic.  
  
" Oh dear..." is all he can mutter out, "...Why are you people really doing this? ", he asks Kelarr.  
  
" Doctor.... for far too long, your people have governed the cosmos, they've become decadent and unreliable. We the newly formed Shalarian Empire have now begun to take our rightful place as the new Guardians of Time. ", Kelarr says to him in a serious voice. Grabbing hold of the Rani's arm, he places her back into the center of the room with the Doctor and Andrea, and then walks back to his guards. His slow, confident turn back to look at them makes it seem that all hope is fading fast for him and the others.  
  
" The Rani was most cooperative in helping us locate your TARDIS, when she was first brought here.... she gave us a lot of trouble. So we had to detain her in a much more...secure area. ", The creature implies with a smile, " Naturally it took some doing...but we gave her certain liberties, a lab to work in, free time to spend out in the city and soon she did help us to locate your exact dematerialization code. ", the green skinned mans finishes.  
  
The Doctor looks over at the Rani and rolls his eyes at her, " Of course...I'm sure it took...all...of her strength not to tell you. "  
  
The Rani looks at the Doctor and looks at him in an ugly manner, hearing him say that hidden insult to her, made her very cross. But who can blame the Doctor, the Rani has spurned him before and she's always telling lies to gain in her favor, why would this situation be any different. As the Timelord finishes his little comment, the Shalarian leader points to his guards to open the doors, as he is now ready to leave.  
  
" In time Doctor...you will except your fate here, as she has done. This is now your new home, and our people will soon be the new Timelords of the Universe. You have free roam of the entire city, and of every other corner of the planet...but rest assured...There is no escape from us, or this planet. ", The alien creature dictates to them all.  
  
Kelarr then leaves and as the guards follow behind, they close the doors. Now all three of them stand alone in the lounge room with nothing but a dead silence among them, that is, until the Doctor tries to lighten the situation.  
  
" Well...looks like more room service for you Andrea, shall I ring for tea? ", he says in a lighthearted remark.  
  
Andrea folds her arms and plumps her self down on the chair behind her; the look of utter disbelief now sits on her face. Prisoners for all time, on a planet that now thinks it's going to be the center of the universe. The Rani finds the Doctor's comment typical of his character, always trying to cut in a joke, a rather human sentimentality she never understood, nor cares to understand. As far as she's concerned, humans are just another herd of lab animals that are to be used in experimentation. She's a scientist first and foremost, but a very extreme one at that, feeling that her Timelord kind, are far above such weak little creatures.  
  
" Always joking Doctor...you never change. ", she snarls at him in a grim tone.  
  
" And you Rani...", the Doctor quickly retorts back to her, ".... you'll never change at all. You'd still turn in your grandmother for any chance to save your own miserable hide. Tell me...just how on Earth did these creatures get their hands on such technology? Hmm? I think you gave them more then just my little dematerialization code....", he suggests to her.  
  
Rani sighs and crosses her arms, " I gave them whatever they wanted...I was a prisoner Doctor....", she sucks in her cheeks and stares him down, a rather nasty look if he had to guess, "...So when they captured me...I gave them the plans I stole from Galifrey to barter for my life."  
  
The Doctor rests his shoulders back and lowers his eyes at her, " The time scoop...."  
  
Andrea looks up at the Doctor, " What's that? "; she enquires him with great interest.  
  
" The time scoop device is something my..." he looks at the Rani, "...our...people use sometimes, to bring Timelords back to Galifrey. They only use it of course for certain emergencies only, most of the time it's forbidden to use. I wasn't even aware the detailed blue prints for the machine where still available...last I heard it was destroyed before the days of Rassilon. ", He says as he looks at the Rani again.  
  
She looks up, smiles at him, and flops down on another couch across the room, " Oh no Doctor...I found them, in fact I was on Galifrey searching the old city ruins. I stayed hidden from our people, when I visited that is...can't have them arresting me for coming back now can I. That's when I searched in the bedchambers of Rassilon himself, the fools never looked in certain areas...the clues where all around. Old Rassilon was very sneaky, he found the prints and managed to squirrel them away from the others, making them believe they had been lost for the ages...and of course to make sure the only working Time Scoop device was the only one of its kind. Do you want to know where I found them Doctor? ", Rani taunts at him.  
  
The Doctor shakes his head in curiosity, for years his people had believed the very drawings for making another device where burned in the great revolt, Rassilon was the leader of the Timelords back then, and his rule was a rather cruel and terrible. But nothing is absolutely certain about those days, or about Rassilon himself, the fact remains that he did eventually turn on his fellow Timelords. He ended the corruption that most of them had embraced and made the radical change that the Timelords of today still live out to this day. For they are now the responsible overseers of Time and Space, for eons they have done so, but during the Doctor's time, things had changed. The Timelords have grown too bureaucratic, pompous and now become isolationist from the rest of the universe. Which is why the Doctor left so long ago.  
  
The Rani finally explains how she found the item, " On his bed there was an engraved scripture....' Look to the star of time, and the stones of our space.... for there you shall see that I am the truth. '....", She looks at the slightly older Timelord to see if he catches on, "...you've heard of this, yes? "  
  
The Doctor nods, " Every one of us on Galifrey remembers that scripture, but thought he was referring to his greatness in the Universe. The ' stars of Time ', was the vortex that would take us, the ' Stones of our space ' where the planets in the universes, and the ' I am the Truth ' was referring to his greatness. Ego was always his main character flaw I believed. "  
  
The Rani laughs at the absurdity of his translation, here she thought the Doctor was a scholar of the teachings of Rassilon, but he didn't even clue in to what the scripture really meant, " You.... You fool...", she laughs out loud at him, ".... you are truly narrow-minded. All those years hanging around these lesser creatures has dulled your intelligence. No Doctor...it was referring to his picture on the stonewall behind him. He is the ' star of time ', his picture is painted on the space of the stonewall, and the truth...well.. The truth is...that if you look very carefully at the detail in the painting itself...you'll see the microscopic drawings of the device and how to assemble it. The whole painting on the wall is the blue print...disguised as his very own mural. ", She says to him with a over confident purr in her voice.  
  
The astonished Timelord smacks his head in realization, " Damn...of course! Good old Rassilon, still up to his old tricks to this very day.........and here I was thinking he was too vain. Still...it was a nice picture of him. Now I see why the artisans where denied removing it from the ruins. ", He mutters onto himself.  
  
Andrea looks terribly confused by the whole conversation, " Who's Rassilon.... what's all this about his picture? "  
  
" Hmm? ", the Doctor says to her as he snaps out of his usual deep thinking, " Oh.... its a long story my dear. I shall have to tell it to you at another time.", the Doctor says placing his hand on her shoulder.  
  
He then turns to the Rani quickly as another thought strikes his brain, " If they have the time scoop, that means there are other TARDIS here...like the ones in the parking lot. ", his posture soon eases as the new revelation becomes clearer to him now, " Time ships...that's all that parking structure is filled with. Other races and creatures that have made some form of time machines themselves. But why? Why collect them? Why have them sitting untouched when they could be pulling them apart for their own gain? Something is very wrong about all this..."  
  
Walking back and forth he struggles with the rushing thoughts continually flooding him, taking a moment to pause and looks out from the room's main window over looking the valley outdoors  
  
" They must have a reason for doing all this...not just to be the new Timelords...but something for something else...Or...for some one." the Timelord stares out from the window as he finishes his thought.  
  
Andrea walks over to him and wraps her arm around him for comfort, he seems so disturbed by the thought of a hidden agenda by these beings that his mind is now full of unanswered questions. The Rani remains sitting, watching the two of them standing there as the sun sets down, causing a warm earth like sunset in the distance. A smile slowly cracks on her face, more like a smirk really, and a quite chortle that almost can't be heard by anyone. The face of evil shows on her, like she does know more about whets going on then her two captures do.  
  
Back in the main building, where they maintain watch over the time streams, Kelarr returns to the command center, where the large screens monitor the spatial grids. The room is full of computers, and Shalarians operating each one of them. Some are moving back and forth and giving information to their fellow workers, one enters the room and heads towards Kelarr.  
  
" My lord, our Patrons are calling again. ", the man says to his leader, " They want to make sure that all is prepared before they land. "  
  
Kelarr heads to a door that leads off to a private room, " I shall contact them myself, keep an eye on the Doctor and the others, I want to know where they go at all times. ", he orders his subordinate.  
  
The man bows and does what his leader commands. Kelarr then enters the private room, which looks more like his personal office. He walks over to a screen, and pushes a button that is flashing yellow. As he does that, a multi-colored pixilated image pulsates on the main viewer. As it talks, the pixels randomly shift at the sound of its voice.  
  
" Report on status of the Doctor! ", the image says to Kelarr, the voice sounds electronic and very distorted, almost like it was made so the person at the other end Couldn't be identified.  
  
Kelarr responds to the voice, " He is here, and under watch. I've made sure no harm will come to him until your arrival, how soon will you be here my patron? ", The inquiring man asks.  
  
" We will soon be in orbit of your world. What of the other vessels you have captured? Did you carry out our instructions? ", The strange voice asks again.  
  
" Yes, everything is done. As you requested, all the operators of those machines have been eliminated. I hope we can finish our agreement and finally conclude this transaction..." the man pauses for a second and looks up at the screen again, " I don't' trust the Doctor...or the Rani...what will you do of them when you arrive? "  
  
The voice soon becomes more sinister as it foretells their fate, " The Rani will be dealt with in due time...but as for the Doctor...he will be the first to die! "  
  
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The Doctor sticks his head out of the doors from the lounge, and looks around the building's lobby. Like a kid searching to see if his parents are about, he does a quick look and returns back into the room. The Rani sits on the couch fiddling with her short red hair as she watches Andrea pace back and forth in front of her. The Doctor walks over to them both and now thinks about his next move.  
  
" Well.... no guards outside, so I take it we're not much of a threat to them. Still one can't be too careful.", the Doctor simply states.  
  
" Oh will you stop pacing you retched lil' girl!! ", Rani screams at Andrea.  
  
Andrea stops and screams back at the nasty woman " Make me you old hag!! "  
  
Rani stands up and comes face to face with Andrea; both seem to snarl at one another, ready to punch each other's lights out. The Doctor interrupts their catfight, putting hand between them and tries to calm them both down.  
  
" Alright! Now that's enough girls...last thing we need is to have two hot heads going at it. Andrea, why don't you come with me...lets see if we can't have a look around this city, hm? ", He says to her, looking directly in her eyes, hoping she'll snap out of her anger.  
  
" Your right Doc...." she says to him nodding in agreement. The Rani just smiles and flops herself back down on to the couch. Rani tends to enjoy arguments, especially with life forms lower then her, humans are always the easiest to annoy. The Doctor looks at the Rani in disapproval, he knows that woman is a twisted individual, she thrives on suffering of others, but the Doctor won't have any of that nonsense right now.  
  
" You coming? ", he asks the Rani merely out of sheer politeness.  
  
" Sorry luv, I've got no reason to join the likes of you two. Besides, there's nowhere to go...believe me, I've tried many a time. But please...don't let me stop you from your walkabout. ", The Rani spews out to them in a rather sarcastic manner.  
  
Andrea and the Doctor walk out the room and close the doors behind them, both trying to forget Rani's insulting tone. The Doctor claps his hands behind his back and starts to walk down the lobby in a rather clam and cool manner. Andrea follows closely behind, and pauses a moment as she wonders what the Rani will do while their gone. Inside the lounge room, Rani picks herself up and walks over to a console that has a small display screen. Pushing one of the buttons, she activates the monitor as an unseen voice talks to her from it.  
  
" Ah good.... Rani, tell me.... did the Doctor believe you? ", the mysterious voice asks.  
  
" Yes...everything is going beautifully. But I can't say I enjoy working with the Doctor...how much longer must I put up with this stupid imbecile?! ", Rani demands of the voice.  
  
" Not long. They will be arriving shortly, and then your work will be done. Keep with him.... Kelarr out. ", The voice finishes as it shuts off.  
  
The Rani just sighs and rolls her eyes; she walks over to the lounge doors and opens them up. Before she walks out she looks at a strange looking digital watch she wears around her wrist. Smiling away after looking at it, she lets out a simple chortle and walks out. The Doctor and Andrea walkabout the city, which is now becoming shrouded in darkness as the sun finally sets, the Doctor strolls along as Andrea talks to him.  
  
" This is getting creepy Doctor, I think we should go back for our own safety. I mean...it sounds like they really don't want us to go too far...who knows what they'll do? ", She tells him in a somewhat concerned tone.  
  
" Not too worry my dear, if they really wanted us dead, they would have shot us the moment we stepped out of the TARDIS. No, no....there's another party involved here.... they're waiting for some one. ", He reveals to her.  
  
Looking a bit surprised by his comment, she wonders how he knows that, " Are you saying these people aren't the ones after you? I don't understand...I thought they wanted to takeover the Timelords? That's why they captured you and the Rani? "  
  
The Doctor smiles at her, " Well they do. But I think they're in league with someone else, for a reason I yet have to discover. The whole situation feels artificial, almost like it was designed to shroud me from something more sinister. Rani for example...she's never helped an inferior race for anything unless it helps her motives, then there's Kelarr...he doesn't seem the sort of person who could arrange all of this. Much to grand of a plan for his mind, I think someone maybe helping him pool all this together...in exchange for what...me perhaps. ", He says to her looking over with raised eyebrows. The Doctor looks around and notices the streets are soon empty and deserted. A chilling sight for any creature to witness, still, his mind is set on freeing the TARDIS somehow, and breathes in as he unclasps his hands.  
  
" Listen...I'm going to go check on the TARDIS, perhaps I can get a good look at the other objects there as well, the force field may have a weakness somewhere...but I have to have a closer look to be sure. Go back to the lounge room and wait for me..." he says to his faithful companion. She nods and starts to walk back. The Doctor starts to walk the other way but soon thinks of something and turns back to yell at her, " Oh.... and keep an eye on the Rani...don't turn your back on her for anything. "  
  
Andrea smiles and nods again at him. She walks back towards the building they've walked a block away from. Halfway up the street, Andrea notices a woman walking her way in the dark. She quickly hides herself in one of the small alleyways off to the side. As the woman walks by, she notices it's the Rani. Not seeing Andrea there, Rani keeps walking by, the sounds of her boot heels clicking along the pavement fill the street with a lonely echo. Andrea quietly follows the renegade Timelord, hopping in and out of the city's shadows. In the Capitol headquarters, the Shalarian guards enter the command room and approach their leader Kelarr; they salute the man as he turns around to hear what they have to say.  
  
" Sir. The patrons have landed and have been escorted into your main office. ", The front guard reports.  
  
Kelarr looks nervous, but thanks his guard, " Good.... good...Uhm.... excellent commander, see to it that we're not disturbed. ", the man says sheepishly.  
  
The guards salute again and position themselves around the command room. The leader walks over to the doors that lead into his office. The patrons have used the other entrance to avoid being detected and now wait for him to enter. A meeting that Kelarr seems somewhat hesitant to go into, soon he walks through the doors and tries to place a smile on his face, quickly closing the doors behind him.  
  
In the streets, Andrea continues to follow the Rani, the dark areas becoming darker now; soon it's hard to make out certain shadows and structures. As the Rani walks on, she soon hears a soft voice calling out to her. Andrea knows it wasn't her, but sees the Timelord stop and look over to the opposite side of the street. Andrea keeps back as she watches her, the voice continues to call out to the Rani, and soon a figure can be almost seen in the shadows. Rani can't make out who it is and response to the person talking to her.  
  
" Who...who's there? What do you want? "  
  
" You know what I want...and you most certainly know who I am. ", the raspy voice says to her. Rani's eyes widen, for some reason she does know this person talking to her. Looking very nervous, she tries to continue her chat with the mysterious stranger.  
  
" Oh.... it's.... it's you. Look.... I couldn't help it, they would have killed me if I hadn't.... hadn't....", she says stuttering to the person shrouded in shadows.  
  
" I'm sure. ", the shadowy figure says, " But if you want to redeem yourself, I have a little task for you, consider it...payment in full. ", the raspy voice says in a slight snicker.  
  
Then the person's hand raises up and strokes Rani's cheek, the black glove covering it resembles that of the mysterious figure whom was seen last time in the Cyberman ship on Earth (* see Encounter at Roswell). The Rani smiles at the figure and snickers along with the shadowy person. Andrea can't make out what they're saying, but does manage to see the gloves, it makes her wonder who the person is, and what the Rani is up too. She decides to tell the Doctor as she runs over to the parking structure he went too. The Rani and her collaborator soon hear the noise of her running, the figure disappears back into the shadows, and the Rani starts to head off in Andrea's direction. Andrea looks back and soon sees the Rani chasing after her; she tries to lose her in the alleyways by running into different ones. Rani tries to keep up with the girl, but can't seem to keep a good lock on her. Andrea finds a door that's open and hides inside. The renegade Timelord soon loses her, not knowing where the Doctor's companion went, she heads back to the hotel. Andrea comes out as soon as she hears the Rani leave, and continues over to the parking area the Doctor is at.  
  
She soon runs up the stairs and comes out to where the TARDIS is sitting, looking around, she can't see the quirky Timelord anywhere. She calls out to him quietly and very out of breath.  
  
" Doctor! Doctor! Oh where are you? ", She says as she soon leans against the blue police box. She rubs the sweat off of her brow and tries to regain herself. Suddenly out from behind the TARDIS, the Doctor leaps out and scares her half to death.  
  
" I thought I told you to stay at the lounge! ", he howls out at her.  
  
She jumps up screaming, his loud voice shakes her up, seeing how the place was dead quiet a second ago, " AAH! Oh you...Damn you Doctor...why didn't you say you where there! ", She angrily says to him.  
  
The Doctor tries to comfort her, " Sorry, but I was in mid thought...the force field isn't controlled around here, no, it must be in a main control room somewhere else. Sorry if I made you stain your panties..." he says to her. Reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small, white crumpled paper bag, he opens it up and gestures it towards her.  
  
" Have a jelly baby...I find they calm the nerves. ", he says smiling to her.  
  
She takes one out and eats it, still not looking too happy about his constant attempt of scaring her. The Doctor also takes one out and chews away on one, he walks around the parking area and looks at the other objects sitting there.  
  
" Do you see all of these? Hm? Every sort of time vessel and craft that's ever been made...well...other then being made by Timelords at least. A veritable museum of illegal ships ever made, what the Council wouldn't give to see this..." he says trailing off in his voice. Andrea looks at them all, strangely designed and some that don't even look like ships at all.  
  
" Why are they illegal? ", she asks.  
  
The Doctor turns to her and puts his bag of goodies back in his pocket, " The Timelords make sure no one race can ever time travel, and they've banned all species from creating such transportation. Guardians of Time and Space...they make sure others don't disrupt the harmony of the universe. Strange to see them all here, I thought the Guardians managed to collect them all, even more odd...why bother to collect them? Why not dismantle them and steal the technology...how very strange." the Doctor mutters to himself. He soon looks up at Andrea again, and walks over to her.  
  
" Come on.... lets go. ", he says grabbing hold of her arm.  
  
She looks at him curiously and wonders what's up " Wait...where are we going? "  
  
" I've got to talk to Kelarr again. If I think of what I think I'm thinking.... then I think the universe is in a lot of trouble indeed. Now Come On! ", He starts to raise his voice at her.  
  
They run out of the parking structure and soon make they're way over to the largest building in the center of town. They stop in front of it and the Doctor looks up at the tall structure.  
  
" That's where they are...and that's where the force field generator is...I've got to shut it off if we're ever going to get out of here. ", he says.  
  
Andrea shakes her head as she also looks up, " Oh I dunno Doc..... I mean it's not like we can just walk into the place is it? They'd kill us for sure. "  
  
The Doctor laughs, " Poppycock! These people are pushovers...no...I've doubt they've killed anything in their lives...couldn't even kill a fly if it bothered them. Besides.... he did say that we where allowed anywhere...", he winks at her.  
  
They enter the building and soon discover that no one is guarding the entry, getting on one of the elevators, they head on up to the main level. As they get out, they notice two guards standing in front of the command centers closed doors. The Doctor briskly walks up to them and pulls out his jellybabies again.  
  
" I say, you chaps look terribly malnourished, how bout a lil' pick me up? ", he smiles at them. The guards look puzzled at his comments and stare at his treats with caution.  
  
" Oh don't be shy.... see....", he says taking one out and eating it, " ...Perfectly harmless. Go on.... I promise it will be our little secret...shhh! ", The Doctor says quietly with a smile, and placing a finger aside his nose.  
  
The guards each take one and munch down on it. Andrea sticks very close to the Doctor; while the guards are distracted they burst through the doors and walk straight into the command center. The guards all become alert and surround him, as he stands there with Andrea close behind his back. Looking around at the whole operation, he soon marvels at the scope of their technology.  
  
" Fantastic! And very complicated...I say that is a rather complex looking thing isn't it? Now then.... who helped you make that then, eh? Another species perhaps...how bout the Rani? She must have given you all some pointers...hm? ", He says with a snobbish air about him.  
  
Another voice booms out from behind the two of them, " I might have given them the odd tip now and then Doctor...", the Rani steps into the room and walks down to the lower floor where the Shalarians all work. Turning around she smiles at him, " I told them you'd never except me as a simple helpless victim...but then again...I'm not really here on my own accord anyhow. "  
  
Kelarr's office doors open and he steps out, " Ah good...You've managed to come at the right time Doctor. "  
  
" Well, I seemed to have lost the invitation to tea, but thought I'd come early." the smiling Timelord says to the creature.  
  
" As ever.... your odd humor proceeds you Doctor. But your pathetic attempt at being sarcastic won't do you good anymore...", Kelarr snickers. The Doctor didn't seem to like that backlash comment, somewhat out of character for that alien, usually very docile, but now out right arrogant.  
  
" Eh?", the Doctor says.  
  
Kelarr moves over to the Rani and snickers, " Perhaps you don't know why your really here. You see we were paid handsomely for your capture, in fact, we were given immunity for helping our patrons...they will give us the technology and we will give them free rein of space and time. A joint venture...to become a Guardian Collective of the Universe. Oh but I am jumping to the conclusion...perhaps you would like to meet our esteemed patrons? After all, they're just dying to meet with you....", he says to the Doctor in a very sarcastic tone.  
  
Kelarr looks over to his office with the doors wide open; the Doctor looks in total horror as he sees what comes out of the room. Out of the room, comes creatures he thought he'd never see for a long time, and as they hover themselves out, he blurts out the name the creatures are known as.  
  
" Daleks! "  
  
The four Daleks come into the room and are screaming in their very usual electronic stuttering monotone voice.  
  
" It is the Doctor! Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminaaaateeee! "  
  
Another Dalek emerges from the room; a different color from the rest, this one seems to be all in red, while the others are of a dark grey. The red Dalek pushes its way past the others and looks at the Doctor with its protruding eye scope. Daleks are self-contained organic beings, looking more like lumps of rubbery goo and many small tentacles to control the many inner workings of their hovering container bodies. The one eyepiece that sticks out is the only source of their vision; it's more like a video camera that sends a picture down into their gooey bodies. The whole of the Dalek is more like a massive brain, they were creatures that where created by a very evil scientist named Davros, but his own creations turned on him and managed to rule on their own.  
  
" Doctor! You have been finally subdued by the Daleks.... You will be exterminated! ", The Dalek leader says in that paced out robotic tone, " We will commence this in one of your standard hours...Kelarr! Have your guards put him into the office room until that time! "  
  
Kelarr bows to his patrons, and motions the guards standing around the Doctor and Andrea with guns pointed at them, " Do as they say..."  
  
The two of them walk along with the green-scaled Shalarian guards, but before they go into the room, the Doctor quickly spins around and stares at the Daleks, the Rani and the others.  
  
" Why aren't you exterminating us right now?! Hm? ", The Doctor asks enthusiastically, which seems to make Andrea look at him with confusion and a wondrous look as if the man has gone mad, the Doctor continues his question, " Why come all this way...and not carry out the execution? You Daleks never hesitate...so why are you prolonging this? Very uncharacteristic of you lot..." he says to them all as his voice soon diminishes.  
  
The Rani looks at the questioning fool, " Are you so eager to die Doctor? I wouldn't be in such a hurry if I were you. I'm sure they have many questions to ask you first. ", She says to him smiling with a faint laugh in her breathe.  
  
The Doctor's head cocks back and his eyes dim as he stares at the Rani, " Really now? And just how would you know that Rani...unless...", his eyes perk up again, ".... Unless you yourself had been threatened by them. Captured where you? Did you make a deal with them...to spare your meaningless life? "  
  
The Rani looks away from him, her eyes shifting back and forth as the Doctor touches a nerve with her. The Doctor laughs, " Of course you did! How stupid of me...But what was the deal? Your life in exchange for the lives of the Timelords? Or...certain Timelords? ", He says in a tone as if he's asking the question back upon himself.  
  
The red Dalek moves closer towards the Doctor and adjusts its arm like weapon, the Daleks have two small arm like devices built into their chassis, one is a weapon that sticks out, the other is like a plunder arm that can move around. Pointing the weapon arm at him, the Dalek explains the Rani's role in the matter.  
  
" You will be Silent!! The Rani has been in service of the Daleks for sometime. We made her locate the one called the Master and had him exterminated for his crimes. Now she has helped us trap you and your TARDIS so that we may use it to finally invade the Galifreian home world and exterminate the Timelords!! ", The evil red Dalek says, its tone is that of a robotic, unfeeling machine.  
  
Yet an almost passionate resolve in the voice made it sound as if it was screaming louder with each revelation. The Doctor was utterly shocked by Rani's involvement in the Master's death, he knows all to well what happened to the once notorious rival of his.  
  
" How.... how can that be? You Daleks had me take his remains back to Galifrey, I asked you if I did this...you would forgive the Timelords for the crimes he committed against your kind...and you agreed." the Timelord says with a shocked look.  
  
" You did not reach Galifrey! You did not bring the Master back to the planet! Instead you landed on Earth and freed him! Therefore this agreement was false! ", The Dalek angrily shouted.  
  
The Doctor shook his head, " No, No! I was on my way...but the Master wasn't truly dead...his life force broke out of the container and forced me to crash on Earth! I chased him.... I fought him as he tried to take over my body and steal my TARDIS! But I managed to stop him...unfortunately during our struggle he was sucked into the Eye of Harmony and now he is truly gone forever. ", He looked over to the Rani, " Oh Rani...Your a cruel woman...but I didn't think you would betray your own kind. "  
  
The Rani smirks, " What do I care of our kind? They're decedent and weak...this universe needs to be reinforced with new blood Doctor. What better guardians then the Daleks and Shalarians...our people have come to the end of their rein, to put it mildly...their time is up. ", She says grinning at him.  
  
The Dalek would hear no more of the Doctor's words as he tries to speak again, the creature's plunger arm pushes him back with the guards, and they continue to escort him and his companion back into the office room. As the door closes behind them, the Doctor sighs.  
  
" Oh my...the woman is truly mad. ", his words soon make Andrea look up in disbelief, the Doctor looks helpless for the first time she's met him, a feeling that makes her even more worried that they will not survive this.  
  
Back in the command room, the red Dalek orders the other Daleks, " Proceed to the parking structure! We must prepare the TARDIS for its journey to Galifrey! "  
  
" We Obey! ", the grey metallic creatures say in unison. They hover off and leave the command room as they head off to the TARDIS.  
  
Rani stands near the room's computer terminal, as the red Dalek approaches her, she quickly turns around to face it. The round eye of the protruding implement, gives her a look up and down, it views the female Timelord as it talks to her.  
  
" You have done well Rani. We the Daleks will allow you to escort us to Galifrey.... there you will give us the coordinates to the main council chambers.... and then we the Daleks will exterminate them all! ", It foretells to her.  
  
" Wouldn't you rather I stay behind? ", she says sheepishly to the menacing creature, " I could help the Shalarians prepare the other time ships for your use when you return...."  
  
" Negative! You will come with us! We must eliminate the Timelords before we can use the other alien crafts to invade each world soon after! If the Timelords are not destroyed first.... they will try to interfere with our plans...and we must not allow that to happen!! ", The metal being screams at her.  
  
The Rani recoils in fear; the sound of the electronic voice almost makes her afraid to push the being any further. She nervously smiles again and soon squints in pain as a high-pitched sound comes out of her. The Dalek watches her squirm in pain and keeps its eye on her.  
  
" You will obey the Daleks! You have no alternative!! We can activate your implant at anytime...and we will exterminate you if you do not obey! Obey! Ooobey! ", It continually screams aloud at her. The resonating sound increases and the Rani falls to her knees in sheer blinding pain. She tries to nod at her Dalek master, and starts to utter out words to acknowledge it's command, " Yes...Yes.... I.... I will obey you my Lord!! I am yours to command!! "  
  
The sound stops immediately, the Rani sighs of relief that the torture is over; she rises to her feet again, shaken from the ordeal. The Dalek then moves to the side and barks at the Rani, " Excellent.... you will proceed to the TARDIS! Move! Move! "  
  
As she starts to walk away, she quickly glances back at the computer terminal she was just at, on the panel, out of the Dalek's view, a button is seen flashing. She walks out of the room, as Kelarr follows behind her closely, and behind him the Dalek follows them both. In the office room, a couple of guards stand by the door; the Doctor sits behind Kelarr's desk with his feet resting on top of it. Andrea is sprawled out across the area of the desk where his feet aren't occupying, and has her arm flopped over her eyes. Andrea sighs aloud, as the Doctor looks like he's brooding from the recent confrontation.  
  
" So this is it...we're going to die. ", Andrea softly says to her Timelord friend.  
  
" Mmm..." is all the Doctor says back to her.  
  
She moves her arm away and looks over at him rather angrily, " Is that all your going to say? ' mmmm '?! Come on Doc! You're always coming up with a sure fire escape plan.... or a terrific device that will blast our way out of here! And all your doing it pouting and saying 'Mmm'." she yells to him as she sits up on the desk.  
  
The oddly dressed Timelord just rubs his nose and looks up at her with anger, " Well what do you want me to say girl?! That I've run out of options? That I've completely messed up the situation?! Hm? I'm sorry that I can't solve all the problems all the time...you know you expect a lot out of me don't you...I can't always come up with the plans. What about you.... how bout you think up a way out of here.... of goodness sake your a police officer! ", He barks at her.  
  
She just gets angrier and walks over in front of the guards, she turns to the Doctor as the guards curiously look at the two fighting. Her hands rest on her hips and she beings shouting at the Doctor again, " FINE! I've got one that will knock your socks off!! "  
  
She then whips around with her legs as they raise up to hit the first guard, a very martial art style of beating down the one guard's head with her foot, she then quickly hits the other guard down with her fist, the lightening fast action causes them both to drop to the ground unconscious. Only lasting a few seconds in time, she's managed to take out two men, she then looks back at the Doctor as she regains her composure. The Doctor gets up out of his chair, he walks over to her, looking down at both guards lying at her feet. He looks up at her and smiles.  
  
" Well that took you long enough...I wondered how long I'd have to keep screaming at you to get that done. "  
  
She looks at him, " What?! What do you mean? Are you saying you did that to deliberately provoked me?!! ", Her eyes flare at him as she asks the smiling twit.  
  
He pats her shoulder and leans in, " Of course...I'm not a violent man. Besides.... you looked like you needed the exercise! Come along! ", He opens the doors and walks right on out like a man without a care in the world.  
  
Andrea growls under her breath, this guy can really get on her nerves, one day she'll have to punch his lights out. As she steps out of the room as well, the soon see the control room is empty. No Guards or Daleks, but the computer room is still all activated.  
  
" Interesting...very sloppy in security aren't they. The must know that we're likely to escape...surely..." the Doctor muses about the situation as Andrea and him carefully walk about the room. He looks at the odd computer terminal, touching switches and looking at the screens. Andrea also looks at them, its beyond her what each one does, but soon walks over to the terminal that the Rani had been near before and sees a button flashing on and off.  
  
" Doctor..." she calls out to him. He soon walks over to her to see what she wants, as he joins her she points to the button, " Look...this is the only one flashing, maybe this is the force field holding the TARDIS.... what do you think? ", she says looking up at him. Obviously she's subdued her anger at him, even though he's a pest sometimes, she does learn to forgive his bizarre behavior.  
  
" Mmm..... Aquilata. ", the Doctor says as he observes the language written on it, " That means......oh no.....", he says with his eyes widening. Andrea looks up with her eyebrow raised, " It means ' Oh No ' ? ", snickering at his lofty translation. She sees him looking up, and also turns her head upward to where he's looking. There on the top wall, a red light flashes, a slender wall mounted sign that has more alien gibberish on it. What ever it was, it was flashing brightly as well, but the look on Doctor's face gave her the impression that it wasn't good.  
  
" No my girl.... it means...Lets get the hell out of here!! ", he starts to scream; he grabs hold of her arm and starts to dash to the door.  
  
" What? What's the matter?! ", She screams back at him questionably.  
  
" The building's power supply is about to blow.... it's a silent alarm! ", he says to her in a panic stricken tone.  
  
She starts to panic as well and both run down towards the elevator, he frantically pushes the button but nothing is happening, soon he looks down the hall for a staircase and finds the door to one. Andrea quickly follows him and soon they rush down the stairs, by the time they get to the next level, they finally can hear the voice warning that isn't in silent mode.  
  
" Self destruct sequence in Four minutes...This is not a drill. Please evacuate the building in a calm collect manner..." the female Shalarian recorded voice announces.  
  
" Four minutes?! Damn! Hurry girl! Hurry! ", The Doctor shouts at the companion in front of him. They're running down the stairs in a feverish sprint, as the levels quickly pass by with each turn.  
  
" Doctor! We're not going to make it! ", She screams.  
  
" Yes we are child! Now move! Move! MOOOVE!!! ", The Timelords yelps back at her.  
  
Out on the parking structure, the Daleks, the Rani, and Kelarr with his men all reach the famed TARDIS of the Doctor. Suddenly a beeping noise is heard on Kelarr's belt, he reaches down and picks up what looks to be a communicator of such. As he presses the button, a frantic voice shouts at him in Shalarian, only he can make out what the voice is saying, as his eyes become wide with panic.  
  
" No. NO! The building is about to detonate!! ", He says screaming at the Daleks.  
  
The metal creatures all move their telescopic eyes wildly as they all turn to look at the building. The red Dalek turns to the Rani and hold its plunger arm up at her, " You!! You have done this!! You shall be exterminated for this action!!! "  
  
The Rani just looks at the alien's arm poking up at her, and then glances over to the building with an evil stare, she laughs as she knows the Doctor will not escape the massive structure in time. Inside the building's staircase, Andrea and the Doctor continue to flee down the never-ending flights, puffing and wheezing out of breath, they try to keep going before the entire thing explodes. Just as they reach one more turn, Andrea trips and falls down the next flight, she screams as she rolls downward. He scream soon ends quickly as the Doctor soon runs down to see her laying unconscious.  
  
" Damn! Come on Andrea! Andrea wake up!! ", He says frantically.  
  
Realizing she out for the count, he starts to pick her up and flings her over his shoulder. He'll be slowing down now that he's got to carry her down the stairs, light as she maybe to carry; it's still a long way down. He strains in the face as he tries to hurry down again, the sound of the recorded voice now soon counts down the seconds left to exit.  
  
" Total destruction in ten seconds...nine...eight...seven...six..." the voice starts to count down.  
  
The Doctor collapses after slipping on the next turn; he and Andrea are stuck on the wall corner, as he hears the countdown nearing their doom. He screams out loud in fear, his good wasn't good enough, as it reaches the final numbers.  
  
" NO! NOOOOO!!!! ", The Doctor screams, yelling at the voice counter.  
  
".... Five...Four...Three...Two..."  
  
Back outside, the Daleks surround the Rani as her treachery is now fully exposed, the Red Dalek leader looks at her.  
  
" You shall be exterminated for this...but we anticipated your futile actions! We knew you could not resist the temptation to stop our plans! ", The scattered robot drone like voice shouted at her.  
  
Its head turns with the protruding eye towards the building, a faint blue light flashes from its small glass aperture within the eyepiece. The slight beeping noise from the light causes the countdown inside to hold at its last number. Inside the staircase, the Doctor has himself wrapped around Andrea to shield her from the blast that he thinks is soon to come. But hearing no " Zero " after its last count of " One " makes him wonder if it was cancelled or perhaps starting without having to say " Zero " at the end. But removing his arm from his face, his one eye open looking around wildly, he begins to feel that the sequence was halted. He opens the other eye up and sits up, moving his head around like a rabbit listening for sounds, he soon grins and has a quick laugh.  
  
" Whew..." he breathes out loudly, " I guess they don't make self destruct detonators like they use too. Or..." he then says with apprehension, " I'm just very.... very lucky.... in any case...I'm talking to myself again. Right...time to shut up and keep going. "  
  
He quickly picks up Andrea who still lays unconscious and finishes up the rest of the stairs. The Daleks outside, still surround the Rani as the Red Dalek moves away from her and continues talking to Kelarr.  
  
" You will continue to open the TARDIS! I have terminated the core destruct timer! The Rani was uninformed of our installation of the command codes into the main computer! ", It says to him with its monotone electronic speech.  
  
Kelarr nods to his patron, " Thank you. You were right to think she would attempt such a thing, as always my patron...you are wise. I will open this Timelord machine for you. ", He says to the Dalek as he turns back to the TARDIS's Door. In his hand is the key to the TARDIS, he places it into the lock and is about to turn it when the Rani bursts out laughing.  
  
" You fool! You won't be able to open that...only the Doctor's genetic signature can be detected through that key! You'd need to have him here physically to make it open! ", She hysterically snickers at the green skinned, red eyed creature. Kelarr just looks back at her and smirks.  
  
" I guess you don't know about my people's ability my dear. ", he says to her.  
  
Soon his skin begins to shift and his whole body takes the form of the Doctor. She'd swear it was he standing there in the flesh; it was very uncanny to the real Doctor. She stands there bewildered and tries to mouth out " How? " to the freshly transformed creature.  
  
" You see...with one touch of your bare skin.... say...a hand shake? We can mimic your DNA perfectly, a temporary transformation, but long enough to do any task required. A perfect facsimile, which is useful for even passing certain security systems like this....", he says with a smile that is very much like the ones the Doctor frequently does. He then turns the key and the door unlocks, he pushes the door open and reverts back into his old form. He bows to the Red Dalek and gestures towards the Timelord craft.  
  
" My Patron...the TARDIS is at your command. "  
  
" Excellent! You have done well! ", The Dalek says with a happier voice, it then turns to the Rani, " You have betrayed the Daleks.... and now you will pay the penalty! "  
  
The Rani expects to be exterminated by the hovering beings, but soon hears the small device in her head squelch to a very loud tone, its so powerful it makes her drop to the ground in sheer agony. She screams away as the pain and sound drill away into her head. The one grey Dalek comes closer to his red leader, " You said she was to be exterminated! Why do you only punish this creature?! ", It says to the other rather defiantly.  
  
" She is still needed for tasks on Galifrey! We will only damage her mind until she obeys our orders! Once she is in place on the Timelord home world, we will exterminate her with the others! ", It says to the other Dalek.  
  
The Rani tries to raise her head, she over heard their plans, even though the sound is deafening, " NO! You...You can't do this to me!! I've given everything...you've asked for! You said you'd spare my life! ", She howls at the torturing aliens.  
  
" You betrayed us! Now you will die with the others once you have arrived on Galifrey! Timelords will all be exterminated! Exterminated! Exterminateeeeed!! ", The raw voice of the Dalek shrills out.  
  
The Doctor finally reaches the bottom of the building; he pops his head out of the door slowly and sees all the Shalarians standing around outside of it. They all await the command to re-enter the building, many too busy talking to each other to even notice the Doctor quickly coming out of the stairwell and hiding behind one of the massive tree planters in front. Its large cement like basin hides the both of them well, the Doctor quickly grabs his jelly babies out of his pocket and holds them under Andrea's nose. She soon flutters her eyes; the smell of the fruity snacks seems to arouse her from unconsciousness.  
  
"Mmm...oooh....no....no more Jelly babies Doctor. I...I....", she soon perks up noticing where they are, ".... wait a sec, where are we! ", she begins to yelp. The Doctor quickly covers her mouth as her voice rises. He puts the jelly babies back into his pocket and leans up on her.  
  
"Shhhhhh....we're outside now. But keep your voice down...we're amongst the wolves here..." the Doctor whispers to her in a rather loony looking stare.  
  
Removing his hand from her mouth, she inches up above the cement planter to gain a quick peek at the mass number of Shalarians hanging around. Slumping back down, she rubs her sore head, " Oh...I see. Oww...damn it, I'm going to have quite the lump there. Oh Doctor.... who are these Daleks? Why are they trying to takeover the.... the Timelords?! ", She says with a quiet release of breathe.  
  
" Daleks are very nasty creatures, I've encountered them many at time my dear and in every meeting.... they're always trying insane scheme. ", he says rather calmly to her. He looks over the planter again and notices the crowd heading back into the building. As soon as they all file back in, he looks over down one of the alleyways, no one down there, perfect he thinks. He squats back down to his injured companion and points out beyond the planter.  
  
" Time to make our way out of here.... c'mon Andrea, on your feet.... head towards that alleyway there. ", he says to the recovering woman.  
  
She kind of moans at the thought of running and sneaking around again but does what he says. They quickly get up and run down the small alley, no one sees them escaping as they make their way down the darkened path. As they run, the Doctor pats himself down for the key to the TARDIS; soon discovering it's not on his person. He quickly stops in the middle of the dark alleyway, the realization that his only object that allows him to enter the TARDIS is gone, fills his eyes with panic.  
  
" Damn! Those tricky Bastards! No....I should say...Tricky Rani! ", His eyes dim thinking about her, the time she had rubbed his arm was the moment she snared them from his pocket. Like a master thief, she managed to hoist his key out and gave it to the Shalarians.  
  
Andrea who was still running up ahead, stopped to see the Doctor lagging behind, " Doctor Come ON! ", she shouts at him. The Doctor hears her scream at him and catches up with her.  
  
As Rani lay unconscious on the ground, from overloading on the pain, the Red Dalek hovers over her. It looks down at the renegade Timelordess and soon looks up at his other Dalek troops.  
  
" You will stay out here and Guard her! ", it commands at them.  
  
" We Obey! ", they all reply back.  
  
The Red Dalek then turns towards the TARDIS and motions it's head for Kelarr to enter in first. Kelarr nods agreeingly and steps on through. Inside he walks past the large bubble like white doors and walks past the main console. He is bedazzled by the size within, like a man looking at technology he's never gazed upon before in his life. Soon the Red Dalek enters in, it too looks all around and at the main controls as well. Kelarr soon snaps out of his wonderment and watches his patron hover around the TARDIS's controls. Looking down at them, it searches the dials and buttons with its protruding eye scope.  
  
" You must see if your transformation enables you to touch the controls! ", it says to Kelarr.  
  
To which he does transform back into the Doctor again and walks up to the console, he puts his hands down on the buttons and waits to see if he gets a shock. The Doctor had installed a security measure along time ago, no one can touch the main console switches, and only the Doctor's genetic imprint can manage him to operate the TARDIS. The fake Doctor smiles again, it worked. He can operate the TARDIS without any harm, the Dalek sees that it hasn't electrocuted him and soon backs away from the console.  
  
" Excellent! You and your people will help us infiltrate many species! Now that we have collected their various ships, you can now copy the operators and go back to the selective worlds to prepare for our invasion forces! ", The Dalek proclaims to him.  
  
" Yes.... at long last. We shall not be the denied species! Our rule will be swift and just...the Timelords may have stopped us long ago from becoming Time travelers, but now we will force them into giving us total authority over the whole cosmos! ", Kelarr says in his Doctor copy transformation, the evil laugh soon bellows out of the man and makes it an eerie sight to see the face of the Doctor doing such a thing.  
  
As the Daleks and Shalarians patrol around the parking structure near the TARDIS, the Doctor's eyes peer out from the corner, a dark area that the guards can't see, he looks around at the number of troops hovering around. He pops his head back into the shadows and turns to Andrea standing there beside him.  
  
" Hmmm..... there's a heavy number over there. And it looks like the Rani has been given her just dessert it seems. ", He says to her, but not really looking at her, more like he's in mid-thought again as he talks.  
  
" Great.... now how are we supposed to get by them all....", she says with some sarcasm.  
  
The Doctor puckers his lips as he thinks, his eyes squint as the Timelord thinks hard, then like a man that's about to scream out ' Eureka! ', His whole face dazzles.  
  
" My God! ", he says in a rather loud whisper, " Shalarus! I knew that name sounded familiar."  
  
Andrea leans in to quiet him down, but soon listens intently as he explains his outburst, " SHH! You'll get us killed! What about this planet? "  
  
"During my peoples Guardian days...Shalarus was one of those worlds denied time travel, they felt them to be too dangerous...ah yes! Because of their shape shifting ability...now I remember...they tried to plant a spy in a neighboring world, before their interplanetary war. They wanted to use the time machine as a way to alter their planet's history. Crafty.........very Crafty....", the Doctor explains to Andrea as she continues to listen.  
  
The Doctor stares up at her, " Naturally the Guardians knew time meddling was inexcusable, they took the people from their system and planted them here on this outer world. Far from the time machines they built, away from their enemies and made them start from scratch all over again. Interesting.........my old age isn't helping my memory any....", the Doctor says as he rambles off to himself again.  
  
Andrea soon gets the picture in her head, " Wow...so these guys are really ticked off. No wonder they want to takeover and end Galifrey's rein. How did they meet the Daleks then? ", She asks of him.  
  
" Oooh, I suppose the Rani told them about these people...she would know about all this, after all, she did steal the plans to the Time Scoop.... betray the Master and well...torture does make people talk you know. ", he says to her with a bit of comedy. He then sparks an idea in his head; he straightens himself up and cleans off his clothes a bit. Like a man preparing to face the firing squad.  
  
" Listen, I've got an idea. I'm going to go out there and pretend I'm one of the shape shifters...if I remember right; they tend to copy people almost down pat.... I'll confuse them as we pop into the TARDIS. What do you think? ", He says smiling to her.  
  
" I think you are getting old...that's insane! They won't by that! ", She frantically replies.  
  
" Kelarr probably opened the TARDIS, I can tell them I'm him...then we'll pop in...." he says to her grabbing her arm as he prepares to step out.  
  
"Doctor no! They're probably in there.... what are we going to do once we're inside? They'll kill us on sight! ", She says trying to hold him back.  
  
But the Doctor can't wait any longer, he's got to try something or else the galaxy is going to be flooded in Dalek invasions. He soon yanks her out with him and runs out onto the parking area. All the Guards and Daleks see them running forward and shout at them.  
  
" HALT! ", the Daleks scream, " The Doctor must be exterminated!! "  
  
" Be silent! ", the Doctor yells back, " I'm Kelarr for pity's sake! I've just taken his form...I've found this prisoner and I'm taking her to the Patron inside! ", He says in a rough evil tone. The Daleks look at one another, and the Shalarian guards look confused.  
  
" That is a lie! ", the Dalek commands, " You can not be Kelarr! He is inside the TARDIS with the Supreme Dalek! "  
  
" Nonsense! I...that is to say, the supreme Dalek and I found a.... a Transporting device inside this machine...very advanced these Timelords, I wanted to see if I could travel back to the main office to make sure the prisoners were still confined. That's when I found her wandering about the halls.... no doubt looking for the Doctor.", he says to the confused group of guards.  
  
" That does not compute! The Timelords have no such device! We must have proof!! ", The Daleks start saying with anger.  
  
All the time the Daleks are confused, the Doctor inches closer to the TARDIS door, the other Guards watch him carefully as he moves towards the entrance. But as he soon reaches the TARDIS, Kelarr in his transformed body of the Doctor steps out meeting real one face to face. Kelarr is about to open his mouth for his guards to shoot, but is soon grabbed by the real Doctor and they start to roll down on the ground. They fight with each other, punching and clawing away. They've become so intertwined it's hard to tell which Who is who. The Supreme Dalek comes out and sees them fighting, the other Shalarian guards grab hold of Andrea as she shouts out the Doctor.  
  
" No! Noooo...let go of me! Doctor! Doooctooor! ", She screams.  
  
The Doctor knocks out the other cold and stands up, the Supreme Dalek looks at the man, " You will transform back to your original form immediately! ", the buzzy robot voice commands.  
  
" I ...I can't...I mean...look can't we....", the Doctor says out of breathe and obviously very nervous.  
  
The Dalek soon screams out an order to his hovering troops, " EXTERMINATE HIM! IT IS THE DOCTOR!!!"  
  
The Daleks all fire at him, causing him to scream aloud in pain, the beaming light is so intense it causes him to explode into millions of pieces. Andrea stands there in horror; the very man she had traveled with had just blown away in a cloud of exploding flesh. Andrea cries out in frantic terror,  
  
" NO! DOCTOR! OH GOD NOOOOO!!! "  
  
The Supreme Dalek hovers over to inspect the debris, " The Doctor is no more! We have totally vaporized him! "  
  
Andrea's tears roll down her face, her friend is dead. The shock of seeing him blown apart was too much for her, a gruesome sight no one should ever witness. As the Dalek moves over to the other Doctor lying there, the creature examines it with its eye scope.  
  
" Why has Kelarr not transformed back into his original shape! ", demands the Dalek leader to the guards standing there.  
  
They look at one another and the first one holding Andrea gives him an answer, " Our people tend to stay in form when traumatized, we need to be conscious to maintain our original forms. It takes a lot of concentration. ", The green skinned guard explains.  
  
" We must make sure that he is in fact Kelarr! Bring him back to the main building and examine him in the scanner room! ", The evil Dalek leader commands to the shape shifting aliens.  
  
They bow in acknowledgement, they give the other grey Daleks Andrea as they go and pick up the body. They head off towards the building, dragging the man with them. The grey Daleks look at Andrea now standing alone with them.  
  
" What of the human female? Shall we exterminate her as well? ", The one Dalek says motioning its plunger like arm at the shaken woman. The Supreme Dalek moves over to them and looks at her.  
  
" No! We will need her to invade earth! She will also be a slave to the Dalek Empire and finally we shall that miserable human planet under our control! ", It says in an almost satisfactory tone. As the Daleks start to push her to move, the red Dalek soon looks on the ground near the TARDIS, its scope frantically looks about the ground area and almost seems panicked.  
  
" WAIT! Where is the Rani? Where is her body?!! ", It says to the other Daleks, who both now look about as well, " You must find her! Take this one to the detention area in the building and begin a sensor sweep of the planet! The Rani must be found...she must be found and exterminated! ", The red leader commands.  
  
" We Obey! ", the two Dalek say in unison. They push Andrea towards the building again, she's too distraught to fight them, and she does what they instruct.  
  
Out in the dark streets, the green skinned guards walk along, dragging the impostor doctor with them. As they turn the corner they are both startled as a beam of energy is blasted at both of them, they don't even have a chance to cry out as their flesh is penetrated by the intensely hot laser strike. They both fall to the ground dead, dropping their unconscious leader with them. In the darkness at ground level, all that can be seen is a pair of dark boots walking over to the dead men, it stands there hovering over them and soon a pair of hands reach down and grab the person the two guards where carrying. Picking him up, the mysterious person drags him off into the darkened streets. The Dalek guards that were bringing Andrea back with them, didn't go down the same street as the other Shalarian guards, instead they took her on one of their hover vehicles that was close by. They moved the craft to the top of the central building, back where she and the Doctor had just finished escaping from. All the time they were moving her about, her thoughts were still of that horrible image of seeing the Doctor die in front of her. Too overcome with grief to fight back, she went along with the Daleks like a walking zombie, where could she go now? With her Timelord friend destroyed she had no way of escaping the Daleks at all. They took her down to the main control room again and placed her back into Kelarr's office, this time both Daleks stayed in the room guarding the doors. Andrea stood there, glazed look in her eyes, as if all meaning in her life was now gone.  
  
" You will sit down!! And do not move or you shall be exterminated!! ", The one Dalek guard instructed her.  
  
She took a seat in front of the Daleks, her head began to shake both ways as she suddenly began to cry, lowering her head down into her hands, she finally begin to grieve.  
  
____________  
  
The body of the impostor Doctor laid on a table in some strangely lit room, all around the lights would fade in and fade out, above the man a bright light shone down on him. Close to his face, a hand soon approached him with an odd looking device, it made high pitched noises as a small beam of green light danced around his face and head. The man's eyes began to flutter, as he started to regain his consciousness, soon his eyes darted all around to try and get an idea of where he was. The device was soon turned off, as a female voice asked him a question.  
  
" It must be awfully hard for you to maintain your form..." she says to him as he looks over to her.  
  
" Shalarians usually revert back when awoken...don't they..." she starts to say to him rather sarcastically, "...Doctor. "  
  
The man grins up at the woman standing beside him, " Oh its a terrible burden my dear Rani, but then faking one's own unconscious state must be a frightful strain on you as well. But then we Timelords have enormous knowledge on that old trick.... don't we? ", He says to her as her face shares the light with his. Looking right at each other they both give a smile, the man soon interrupts their tender moment as his hand brings up a bag of sweets between their faces.  
  
" Jelly baby? ", the Doctor winks at her.  
  
" No thanks...I'm allergic to them. ", she simply replies back.  
  
Back in the central building, the supreme Dalek nervously paces in the control room as the other Shalarians work around him, they've all returned to their posts and continued to monitor the time streams. Two Shalarian troops come marching into the room and approach the Dalek.  
  
" REPORT! ", the Dalek commands them.  
  
The both salute him, " My Patron! We've scoured the area and found the bodies of the two guards. But Kelarr's body wasn't found..."  
  
" It must have been the Rani.... she must have taken him as her prisoner! ", the Dalek says in great anger. Moving over to a control panel, it's plunger like arm activates a switch, " Dalek search team! Report in! Have you found the Rani woman?! "  
  
" Dalek search team reporting.... no trace of the Rani has been located as of yet. She has disappeared from our sensors, and the punishment device isn't functioning! ", The Dalek reports over the communicator to his superior.  
  
" This is intolerable!! Continue your scans.... search for a new signature...locate the Rani's TARDIS at once! She maybe using it to shield herself from our scanners! ", The red supreme Dalek commands.  
  
" We Obey! ", they respond back. The supreme Dalek then turns off the communication switch and spins around to confront the two green skinned soldiers.  
  
" You will also help with the search.... go find Kelarr's body and locate the Rani! ", it says to them both.  
  
The men salute the metallic being and walk out of the room. The Dalek then turns to Kelarr's office and enters in. Andrea still sitting there in distress soon sees the evil creature hovering over to her.  
  
" What do you want now? ", she defiantly says to the being.  
  
" You will now operate the Doctor's TARDIS for me...you will be the one to help us invade Galifrey! ", it says to her while it points it's built in weapon at her.  
  
" ME? ", she says surprised, " You've got to be kidding? I don't know the first thing about flying that old contraption! The Doctor was the only one who knew how to use the controls...and you just killed him you moron! ", She howls at the evil metal being.  
  
" YOU WILL BE SILENT!! ", it starts getting closer to her and shoves the weapon even closer at her. She does recoil with fear as it raises its voice and moves in on her. " You have no choice in the matter! Even you must know the basic principles of how to operate the TARDIS...all of his past companions were taught to maneuver the craft! So I do not believe your lies! You will help the Daleks in our conquest of Galifrey...if you do not...then we will exterminate you!! ", It yells at her.  
  
Too afraid now to argue, she just nods at it, hoping it will back away from her. A quick gulp from her throat and she looks back up at the enraged Dalek with an answer that the Doctor might have even said back.  
  
" Well.... since you put it so nicely.... I guess I'll have to...hm? ", she says nervously with a quick grin.  
  
Down in the dark alleyways of the city, a lone dark grey stone piece sits out from a wall, big as a fireplace mantle, and sturdy as a statue. The very detail seems somewhat alien to this planet, but looks almost art deco by human standards, it even has a slight hint of roman architecture to it, as the carved out pillars on it seem to give that effect. Behind the shadowy gap between the wall and the stone like mantle, the Doctor comes peering out from behind it. Looking around in a comical fashion, he soon creeps out from it's back. Soon the Rani also comes slowly walking out from behind it as they both look around to see if they are soldiers near by. A sigh of relief from the Doctor soon dispels any hint that danger is about, as he turns to talk to the renegade Timelord woman.  
  
" Ah...good, we're in the clear. For now. ", He says to her with his eyebrows raised, " Now then...Why did you rescue me? Hm? Not that I'm ungrateful to you for such a heroic act.... but...I mean.... well, for you it's rather...rather out of your style. "  
  
She rolls her eyes at him and still continues to search about the alleyway, but gives him his answer, " Oh Please...I don't relish the idea of saving your hide, and in fact I was rather hoping you were in fact Kelarr. But seeing how your not dead...I think now you and I are the only ones to come up with a plan..." she says to him in a rather helpful voice.  
  
" OH COME ON! ", the Doctor yells out, " You mean to tell me...that after helping the Daleks, capturing me, and giving these people here the time scoop technology...you're turning sides? That's a whopper of a lie Rani.... you and I both know that....", he says to her grabbing her arm rather roughly.  
  
" Fine! ", she says withdrawing her arm from his grasp angrily, " The truth is Doctor I want off this miserable planet! I want to be free of those Daleks and I want to see you dead by the day's end! Is that better? ", She screams back at him.  
  
" Much. But that still doesn't give me a reason to believe you've had a change of heart to help me...come on Rani...someone told you to do this. Hm? Who else are you in league with? The Daleks are just a bit of bad luck, but no, you're doing this for another purpose altogether...that else Rani...who made you come to rescue me? Hmmm? ", He says to her very inquisitively.  
  
She gazed back at him and gave him a rather evil smirk, " Trust me Doctor...If I told you.... you'd never accept it! "  
  
The Doctor leans into her and peers his eyes closely at her, " Tell me...."  
  
Just as she is about to open her mouth, when two lasers come zooming past their heads, as they both duck from it's passing, they soon see three Dalek's coming down the alleyway towards them. The Rani and the Doctor rush down the other way to avoid them, each time a blast heads their way they move in the nick of time.  
  
" EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINAAAAATE! ", The three Daleks all shout out as they chase them down.  
  
The Doctor soon finds a hiding spot in a corner where the Daleks can't see; he quickly grabs the Rani and huddle in close to each other as they evil beings pass by. They wait until the machines turn the corner as they go out of sight, then they both dash off down a new opening that leads to another street. Soon the Rani stops and shouts at the fellow Timelord to do so as well.  
  
" Stop! We can't keep running, eventually they will catch us.... I know...I've tried. ", The Rani says out of breath.  
  
The Doctor keeps a vigil eye out for more Daleks as he listens and talks to her, " You're right.... they'll hunt us down no matter what. We need to get to my TARDIS..."  
  
" No...They'll be guarding that heavily now. Besides you still need your key to get in...." she says to him.  
  
The Doctor looks at her and smiles, he pulls out the very key she meant, " You mean this one? If there's only one trick we both seem to know about.... it's how to pick another person's pocket while in mid-struggle. Poor Kelarr...Just a pawn in the Dalek's grand scheme. "  
  
The Rani laughs, " Doctor you're still not going to be able to get by them...Unless..." she starts to think at him.  
  
He also picks up on the same thought, " Yesss...that's a better idea. Materialize your TARDIS into mine.... slip past them before they know it...oh but wait.... no....I forgot the energy field is still around the area. We can't even use them. ", He says with a bit of a frown.  
  
" Ah but you doubt my talents once again Doctor, for I managed to turn off that dampening field before I left the building. ", she smiles at him.  
  
" Really...how odd that you didn't take the time to flee for yourself. ", he says to her with great interest.  
  
She just quickly changes the subject, " Well...Come on then.... do you want to get back into your TARDIS or not?! ", she runs back towards her craft.  
  
The Doctor doesn't waste time thinking any more about it and quickly follows behind, they make sure each way is clear as they head back towards the ship. Just as they reach her TARDIS, more Guards show up, Shalarian guards with energy weapons. They blast away at their feet and the Rani starts to slip behind the small back of her TARDIS, just as the Doctor begins to follow her, the Guards shoot a warning shot beside his head.  
  
" HALT! One more move and we'll terminate your life! ", The main front green skinned guard says, as he squints his red eyes at him.  
  
He whispers to Rani inside the craft, " Rani...open the door...open the door! "  
  
The Rani just laughs as her words boom out from her TARDIS, " Sorry Doctor, you're on your own...Ta - Ta! ", she laughs away as her craft de- materializes and soon vanishes as he's left alone standing there.  
  
The Guards all move in and surround him, " Well.... I see Kelarr didn't survive...I think the Daleks will be very disappointed about that. Let's see what they think right now.... cause here they come. ", The main guard says again.  
  
Down the alleyway the three Daleks soon appear again, as they move down, the Doctor soon realizes his chances for escape are not good. He's avoided death twice now, but this time, it seems the Rani has tricked him into his own doom.  
  
" EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINAAATE!!! ", The Daleks all scream as they see the Doctor captured. Moving closer and closer, their weapons pointed straight at him, he soon braces himself for the full impact of their energy fire.  
  
" Wait! ", the Green skinned guard commands at the Dalek, " Kelarr must not be harmed! "  
  
" This is not Kelarr! Kelarr would have reverted to his natural state! This is the Doctor! ", The Dalek points out to them all.  
  
The guard stares at the Doctor, his two troops have him pinned up against the wall, he walks over and closely inspects his face, holding it tightly in his hand. He soon realizes that it is not Kelarr, the Daleks are right. If it was him, then he would have reverted back to his original form long ago. He lets go of the Doctor's face, and turns to the Daleks. They continue to poise their weapons at the Doctor and keep a steady look at all of them standing there.  
  
" Yes.... this is not Kelarr. ", the man says to them.  
  
" Then move aside!! ", it demands.  
  
All the guards walk behind them, giving the Daleks a clear shot of the Doctor who now stands there free of restraint and helpless. As the Daleks ready themselves to kill the Timelord, the guard that inspected the Doctor quickly shoots all three of the Daleks in the back causing each one to explode in a fireball. They Daleks all scream in violent pain as the fire and shock of the explosions kill them off, his surrounding guards shield their eyes from the blast, and look at him very curiously as his action was that of utter contempt. The Doctor breathes a sigh of relief, but regains his posture and looks at the guard.  
  
" Thank you for that. But tell me...Why? ", He says to the man staring back at him.  
  
" I never wanted them here. Kelarr was our leader and the one that made the pact with these creatures, now he's dead because of his own stupidity. ", The green skinned guard says to him, " They didn't bother to wait before they killed him, they didn't even give him the chance to explain that he wasn't you...for that...they deserved to die. "  
  
" Strange...you say you never wanted them here. Can I assume that most of Shalarius isn't in full agreement with Kelarr's Treaty with the Daleks? ", The Doctor says with a bit of curiosity.  
  
The guard walks up slowly to him and lowers his weapon, " The council did, they would have agreed to anything Kelarr said. But as head of planetary security...no....I had no love for his treaty. That's why I was demoted to this lower rank; my view didn't fit with his. So I was pushed aside for the sake of his treaty, the Daleks are the last kind I would ever want to have on our world. But Doctor, we the Shalarians have a right to be angry. The Timelords denied us our vengeance; we had a chance to correct our past by destroying our enemy! Did you know that the Planet Agauritus ravaged our world? "  
  
The Doctor calmly rests his hands on his jacket lapels, like a man in deep thought, " Yes...We knew. We knew that Agauritus had invaded your world, plundered you all brutally and left the planet burning."  
  
The guard screams at him, almost into tears, " And yet your people did nothing!! Children died, women raped and killed...they came with technology and weapons! We couldn't even stop them...they were more advanced then we were!! Timelords...they sat there and did nothing!! ", He shakes his fist at the Doctor violently as he speaks, but then tries to regain himself as he continues his talk, " They left us to die.... broken, and hungry. But we rebuilt our world, made it fertile again...but we would not forget our enemy. We saw the level of their technology and we realized it was centuries ahead of us; we had to look for outside help from those who could give us technology like theirs. The Daleks where the only ones willing to give us that time travel technology we sought for...Don't you see? We needed to stop them before they began...Kill them all before they kill any of us. "  
  
The creature wipes away his tears, as he turns back to the Doctor with a saddened look in his red eyes, " You denied us our chance for peace. "  
  
" Peace? Destroying another species before they visit you, that's not peace, that's hate. Hate doesn't bring peace, what they did to you was wrong...and I'm sorry for your loss...but to channel one species out for another is inexcusable. You'd be no more the villain then they were. Open your eyes...if your people help the Daleks, you'll be no better then those who invaded you. You'll be the enemy now...the hated ones...just like them. ", He says to him with soft words, holding his shoulder and gazing right into his eyes.  
  
" We denied you that time travel for your own good, think! Where would you have stopped after they were done, hmm? You would have continued on and on...and you would have become a danger to the universe.... much like what's happening now. Time travel is for those who can control their emotions, for those who use it for constructive or passive means...not to conquer. The Daleks only crave power, they where created to hate and destroy all life other then their own, they were a product of sheer hate. Your people once where the most peaceful in the entire galaxy.... don't be the ones who will go down as the greatest monsters of all time. ", The Doctor says to them all as they stand there listening.  
  
The green skinned guards look at their commander, he hears the Doctor's words, and he looks up at his men and motions them to surround the two of them, both him and the Doctor. The Timelord looks at them curiously as they all huddle in around, the guard commander straightens up and looks at the Doctor.  
  
" I, Takarr.... do not wish to be the villain of the galaxy. And neither do my people, but you must understand, we can never forgive what your kind has done. And we will never forgive the Agauritusians for what they've done."  
  
The Doctor sighs, and looks at him and the rest standing around, " Well then, I think you're people should check up on their enemy more often. You see the Agauritusians underwent a bit of a civil war after they encountered you. In fact, it's a bit of irony really...they almost killed themselves from their own technology and cruelty. And from what I know now...they haven't been a space faring species in over two thousand years, and now live totally as an isolated peaceful society. You see, the same time you where altering your genetic structures for shape shifting and planning your attacks on them, the people you encountered no longer exist. And if you had gone through with your time traveling, you would have killed those innocent people for what their shameful ancestors did. You know.... peace often has a better chance with talking with one another, then killing one another. I think if you contact them now.... they will more then likely apologize and repay your people for the suffering that was done. "  
  
Takarr sighs, " And what of the Timelords, Doctor? Are your people not to blame for our mess? "  
  
The Doctor stands there rubbing the back of his neck as he tries to explain to Takarr, " I can't say I was proud of what the Timelords did back then, you see, even those with all the knowledge in the universe can make stupid mistakes. But trust me Takarr...the Daleks are not the ones to bring peace. Once they're done with you, they'll destroy your world and all who live on it. That treaty means nothing to them, once you've given them the galaxy, they'll betray you. "  
  
–––––––––––––––––––––  
  
Back in the main capitol building, Andrea is being brought out of the room she was confined in, the Daleks behind her follow close as they direct her straight to the Supreme Dalek. The red colored metal being turns around and eyes her with its scope like eye. Andrea still looks overcome with grief, walking and doing what they ask because she has nowhere else to turn.  
  
" We will proceed with the invasion of Gallifey! You will operate the TARDIS controls and bring us to the Timelord home world! Do not try to escape or you will be exterminated!! ", The electronic evil voice booms out to her.  
  
She simply nods, " If I must...."  
  
" You have no alternative!! The Daleks will be the Supreme Guardians of time and space!! The day of the Timelords is over.... we the Daleks will be the rulers of the entire universe!!!! ", It shrills out to all standing around.  
  
The loyal Shalarian guardsmen and controllers all salute the Dalek as it proceeds towards the doors leading out to the hallways. As it moves out, Andrea and the Daleks behind her also move out as they all head towards the hallway. In the hallway, the Daleks move towards the elevator that will take them down to the main lobby, they all hover in and surround Andrea who stands in the middle of them. The doors shut and as the elevator drops down, the supreme Daleks turns to look at her.  
  
" If you fail to steer the TARDIS, or send us anywhere other then Galifrey, We will exterminate you!! "  
  
She sighs and gives a coy look at the evil creature, " Gee...ya think? "  
  
The elevator opens after reaching the main lobby; they all hover towards the doors leading outside. With Andrea still surrounded by them, they all exit into the outside, they all start heading towards the main parking level where the TARDIS resides. Just then, laser shot comes streaking out and hitting one of the Daleks. The shot takes out its protruding eye; the explosion causes the other Daleks to panic.  
  
The damaged Daleks cries out in pain, " I CANNOT SEE!!! MY VISION IS IMPAIRED!! I CANNOT SEE!!! MY VISION IS IMPAIRED!! "  
  
More shots ring out at the Daleks, the already damaged Dalek is finished off with another few shots to its body. It explodes in a violent burst of flames and green fried goop. The other Daleks shield their leader and Andrea as they all take a stance and fire back. They do not know where to aim, and rapidly fire they're energy weapons all over the place in panic. As the Dawn begins to break over the horizon, the silhouettes of the attackers become slightly visible. It's Takarr and his men, who all dive for cover and fire upon the Daleks. The Supreme Dalek latches his suction arm onto Andrea and forces her to continue on with it.  
  
" YOU WILL NOT ESCAPE!!! YOU MUST COME WITH ME AND COMPLETE THE INVASION!! ", It hollers at her.  
  
The other Daleks continue to fire at the attackers, all the while they scream out at them, " EXTERMINATE!!! EXTERMINATE!!! EXTERMINATEEE!! "  
  
The Doctor hides behind one of the walls were Takarr shields himself while firing at the Daleks and spots Andrea in the distance. He sees her being forced to continue towards the parking area by the Supreme Dalek, unable to move from his spot, he desperately tries to think of another way to get to her.  
  
" My god...there's Andrea!! Damn.... they've pinned us down here! Do you think you're men could give me some cover fire Takarr?! ", The Doctor says to him loudly as the shots flying by muffle his voice.  
  
" Not possible Doctor! My men are having trouble trying to stay in one position for too long! The Daleks are too powerful and hard to keep back..." he shouts back at him.  
  
The Doctor frantically thinks of alternatives, " What.... what about another route to the parking structure?! "  
  
" No..... you'd have to scale the side walls Doctor!! This path is the only way there!! I'm sorry Doctor.... but...Damn...just lost another man! Look.... just wait a second.... I'm going to see if I can make a dent for you! ", He says breathing heavily as he is continually occupied with the Daleks, he then goes scurrying out into the open and does a roll on the ground to where one of his dead guardsman lay.  
  
He fires his weapon repeatedly at the Daleks, striking one of them in the eye again. The other Daleks make up for the one damaged and fire back at his position. The Doctor stands there by the wall watching, unaware that some one down the ways from him is creeping closer. From the view point of the person inching up behind him, all we can see is the person getting closer and closer to the Doctor. Soon a pair of dark gloved hands reaches up as the person gets very close to the distracted Timelord. Then as the mysterious figure reaches him, the hands slowly reach down around his shoulders, the Doctor still unaware of the person behind him, is fixated on the Dalek - Shalarian guard conflict. Just as he is prepared to leap out and make a dash for the parking structure, the gloved hands grab hold of him and whip him back into the shadows behind the wall. The Doctor lets out a small yelp as he feels the yank of the hands bringing him into the darkness.  
  
The Supreme Dalek finally reaches the TARDIS with Andrea; he pushes her against the craft and demands she open the door. She opens it up with relative ease, seeing how the door wasn't closed all the way, and steps in. The Dalek also proceeds inside as it follows her closely. Once inside the Dalek moves around the interior of the TARDIS, it then does a quick turn around towards Andrea and points its weapon at her.  
  
" You will now start the TARDIS!! ", it commands.  
  
" I'm...I'm not sure which is the...the starter...I mean...I.... I...", she tries to tell the evil Dalek in a nervous voice.  
  
" If you do not activate the TARDIS, I will Exterminate YOU!! ", It screams at her.  
  
Scared out of her wits now, she nods nervously at it and goes over to the controls, she stares at the many knobs, buttons, and computer lights flashing all around the console. Her mind races as she tries to remember which one she's seen the Doctor push to get the TARDIS running. So many choices, she bites her right index finger feverishly as she tries to think of which button it must be. The Dalek behind her grows impatient, it's eye looks at the young human woman and the console rapidly, it can see she's inexperienced in operating the Timelord vessel and finally decides she is useless.  
  
" You do not know how to operate this machine!! I gave you and order and you do not proceed to activate it!!! ", It shouts at her again.  
  
She turns around and steps away slowly, inching away from the infuriated alien creature, " I.... I told you before.... I don't know how to use this thing! Only the Doctor knew how to fly it! I.... I'm only his companion!! "  
  
" ENOUGH!! You are useless to the Dalek invasion!! Therefore you must be EXTERMINATED!!! ", It says pointing its weapon at her.  
  
Andrea's tears roll down her face as she soon feels her fate is sealed, begging the Dalek not to kill her, she weeps aloud as it soon prepares to shoot her down in cold blood.  
  
" NO! NO PLEASE!! YOU CAN'T KILL ME HERE!!...PLEASE!! PLEEEEAAASSEE!!!!" she cries out to the Dalek.  
  
" EXTERMINATE!!!!!! EXTERMINATEEEEEEE!!! ", It continually shouts out at her.  
  
As she drops to the ground screaming in a loud voice and her eyes shut tight, a laser shot rings out. The shot fired wasn't coming from the Dalek, as Andrea soon discovered as she sat there curled up into a ball on the floor of the TARDIS. As she looked up at the menacing creature, she saw it smoldering from behind, the Dalek was now the one screaming in pain, as it quickly turned around to see who was attacking. As it whipped its body around in full motion, it could see a dark figure in the doorway that led deeper into the TARDIS. The silhouetted person had a replica Dalek laser weapon, and was pointing it directly at the stunned being. The smoke still rising from the blast it gave, the person in the shadows kept it poised on the Dalek as it attempted to move forward.  
  
" Aaah...you.... aarrhh.... Shall be.... Ex...Exterminated!! ", It tried to howl out to the person.  
  
The soft woman like voice could now be heard as she responded to the Dalek's threat, " I don't think so...in fact...I think you're the one that's.... Exterminated! "  
  
The woman soon stepped out of the shadows, and as the light from the room now exposed her full features, it was now apparent this was the Rani. Her lips curled with delight, as she stepped into the control room facing the being who had enslaved her for so long, now she was getting her payback on it.... in full. Without giving the Dalek another second for reaction, she shot the laser again at it, the bright green streak of light shot straight into the being's head, causing it to explode in a ball of fire. The round dome like structure fractured and blew apart into pieces, like glass shattering on the floor, and soon the exposed biological creature inside bled violently. It's many tentacles, thin and hair like, waved around in panic as the blast devastated it deeply. A hissing like noise came from the green blob sitting in there, the pulsating creature slowly began to die and soon stopped all signs of life within a few minutes of its exposure. The Rani was so happy at her deed, she belted out a roaring laughter that seemed to send a shiver down Andrea's spine. It didn't seem like a laugh many would make after telling a good joke, or during a funny moment. No, this laughter was evil, twisted, and down right insane. The Rani took great pleasure in killing that Dalek, and her laughing showed that dark side to Andrea all too well.  
  
" Why are you laughing? Its not funny damnit!! ", Andrea screams out to the Rani.  
  
The female Timelord soon quiets down, she gives Andrea a side look and shows a disappointed glare at her, " Tsk, tsk human...and after I just saved your life. That's gratitude for you. "  
  
She lowers the weapon and drops it onto the TARDIS floor, " So much for the great Dalek invasion...too bad...I for one would have liked to have seen the Timelords faces as they were caught with their trousers around their ankles. "  
  
Andrea corrects her on that quaint human expression, " You mean....' being caught with their pants down '. "  
  
" Whatever..." she shrugs, " in any case...it looks like I've spared them that problem. Ugh! There's a nasty thought...I'm savior of Galifrey. I guess I'll just have to work harder at getting rid of that title. "  
  
Another voice booms from out the doorway from which the Rani emerged from, " Oh I dunno.... I think it would do you a world of good! "  
  
Andrea looks to see who said that, as soon as she looks in that direction, out pops the Doctor safe and sound, " You know I think being a force for good would actually suit your character more Rani...besides, look at all the fun we saviors get, hmm? ", he says to her grinning.  
  
Andrea screams out to him in delight, " DOCTOR!! ", she runs over and gives him a great big hug, she'd know that smug bit of humor anywhere and she was all too glad to hear it again. The Doctor laughed and hugged her back; he marveled at human joy, he always found it to be an endearing quality that made him so fond of them all. Andrea held on so tight to him she was almost afraid to let him go, death seems to avoid this man so often, that she's always ending up having to care about him a little more each day.  
  
" Oh Doctor! I was so worried...but how.... how did you?", she stood back as she asked him in a curious tone.  
  
He grinned at her and ruffled his hair as he explained, " Ah...well, you see they didn't really kill me, they mistook me for Kelarr...and uhm...well, the Rani her found me as we just attacking the main building. She startled me a bit, I thought she had left me earlier, but for some reason she came back, picked me up, materialized into the TARDIS here and well...the rest you know. "  
  
" Amazing...but why would help him? I mean...your such a bitch. ", She says to Rani in an insulting tone.  
  
Rani stood there with a gaping mouth, such a blunt and outlandish remark made her want to send one right back at her, " What! Why you little inferior twit! How dare you call me..."  
  
The Doctor quickly interrupts, " AH, now ladies...lets save it for the rematch, hmm? Besides, there is a bit of a takeover happening as we speak...so...shall we? ", He says gesturing his hands towards the big main doors leading out of the TARDIS. The Two women bite their tongues and storm out, neither one says a word to each other as they both try to get past one another.  
  
The Doctor just follows behind and rolls his eyes, " Cats with claws..."  
  
______________  
  
Outside the main building, the bodies of both the Shalarian Guards and the Daleks all lay about, the smoke filled area soon reveals the carnage that took place. As the sun begins to fully rise, the darkness soon bleeds away and brings with it a glow of hope to the remaining Shalarians trying to clean up the mess. The Rani, the Doctor and Andrea soon come running down from the parking structure; Takarr awaits them all as they come up behind him. Turning around he sees they've successfully stopped the Dalek from using the TARDIS.  
  
" So.... you have done it. They are finally defeated. ", Takarr says with some pride.  
  
" Yes...for now", the Doctor says to him with a bit of skepticism, " There are many Dalek in the universe...but I can safely say, these lot won't be coming back to your world anytime soon. All dead I take it hmm? ", He asks the green skinned man.  
  
" Every last one of them. We made sure of that; I'm having their bodies burned as an extra precaution. ", He says looking back at the mess.  
  
" A wise decision ", the Rani adds in.  
  
" Doctor, I will consider what you have said here today. Perhaps our hate has blinded us, but healing will take many years. We may never forgive your people, nor the Agauritusians, but we will try and teach our younger people the truth. Perhaps they will be the generation that will break the cycle. "  
  
" I understand Takarr. Truly I do...just remember what has happened here today, and remember peace is never achieved with revenge." he pats the red eyed being on the shoulder and shakes his hand.  
  
Andrea gives the alien a nod and takes one last sorrowful look around the devastation. The Doctor and Rani go walking back up towards the TARDIS, Andrea soon comes up beside the Timelord and asks a question.  
  
" Doctor...shouldn't we...well...you know...stay and help them? After all, it is our fault they're in this mess.... isn't it? ", She says with conviction in her eyes.  
  
" We've done enough to these people Andrea. Time to leave them be. Oh I suspect they will be alright, given time, they may forgive all of us for...well.... mistakes on all sides. ", He looks at her and hugs her close to him as they walk.  
  
The Rani looking back at the two of them and shows disgust in her face, " Oooh Please...I think I may just puke "  
  
As they step inside the TARDIS, the Doctor sets the controls and activates the craft as soon as the doors shut. The whirling sound of the TARDIS fills the room, outside the small lantern on top of the blue police box flashes, with each whooshing sound, the TARDIS fades out of space-time.  
  
The Rani looks at them both and bids them farewell, " Well, thanks for the lift Doctor...time for me to get back to my mischief too. "  
  
" You know Rani, it was a rather rare thing to see you help me. I can't help but wonder why...you said earlier that if I asked you who it was that told you to do so, I'd never believe you. Care to elaborate on that now? ", The Doctor says walking over to her in a stern face.  
  
" Sorry Doctor...Some things are better to find out on your own. The next time we meet...don't expect me to show the same sort of mercy. Make no mistake.... I want you dead. For now...it was a passing truce, consider this my one and only moment of weakness. Ta! ", With that last word, she races into the next adjoining room where her TARDIS is clearly sitting. She steps in behind it and soon disappears; her laughter once again fills the void as her craft materializes out of his. Soon the Doctor turns back to Andrea and exhales as he raises his eyebrows in a comedic fashion.  
  
" Well...so much for hope in bringing the Rani around. I hope I don't run into her for sometime..." he says smiling at Andrea, who also looks rather pleased at her departure.  
  
" I don't like it..." she says to him, " There's someone out there helping you for some reason...and its someone that can influence the likes of her? Gives me the creeps Doc. "  
  
Nodding in agreement, he displays his feelings on the matter as well, " Indeed...A shadow on our tail as it were. I must say, who ever it is, must have a good deal of knowledge about me...the Rani.... and everyone or thing I've been in contact with. As if...as if they themselves are playing a game with me. Very disturbing indeed. Oh well...I'll play along for now. But the next time it happens, I think we should investigate it fully...don't you? ", He says looking at her with wide eyes, obviously looking for her agreement. She does nod back, although she seems rather hesitant to agree at all, it's all so eerie to her.  
  
As the TARDIS floats around in time and space, the two of them managed to get cleaned up and changed their clothes. The Doctor now sporting another tacky outfit, complete with a different colored smoking jacket with the sleeves rolled up, and Andrea in a more denim ensemble. They've been playing another game of chess as the Doctor is seen once again squinting at the chess board, Andrea sits back in her chair thinking about the day they've just experienced.  
  
"Doctor...Rani, the Shalarians and the Daleks all had some sort of angle on each other. It seems so strange that they all judged each other so quickly, I mean, it was like a big game to them all. All looking to win, but in the end, losing out to one another...you know what I mean? ", She says looking down at the funny dressed Timelord still squinting at the board.  
  
" Yesss...all of them thought they had the perfect plan, like so many races blinded by hate and anger. If they took the time to realize that plotting and revenge gets them nowhere, they would be a much happier sort. You see to them, it's a lot like chess really...plan the attack, set your pieces in the right place and surround your enemy. But chess you see, isn't always won by all that, sometimes all the planning and the careful moves never turn out they way they expect. Chess has to be won through thinking and feeling, play the game the same way and it often leads into stalemate, but if you step back and look at the board in a new perspective, chances are the winning move will be staring at that person all along. It's up to them to make the move in the right direction and be winner for the better. ", He says wisely to Andrea as she nods agreeingly to his little speech. The Doctor moves his chess piece forward and gives a bit of a gleeful chuckle.  
  
Andrea breaths in and looks down at the board, she quickly smiles and looks over to the Doctor, " I see what you mean..." she moves her chess piece forward to his far side of the board, " Checkmate! ".  
  
" Eh??! ", the Doctor quickly shouts as he looks up at her and then back at the board.  
  
" Like you said...Looking at a new perspective on the board makes a move in the right direction. ", she says to him with a calm smirk, which she then ends up turning into a laugh and a smile.  
  
The Doctor still staring at the chess board looks up to see her grinning face, he then smiles back, touches the tip of his nose and points it back at her as it if to say " you got it ".  
  
END 


End file.
